Using a life-course perspective, this study spans the social history of American women from preindustrial times to the present, with emphasis on the last five decades. The authors examine the timing, duration, and sequencing of events common to the life of American women over succeeding generations. The recent rise in the primacy of the individual woman provides the authors with a central theme for integrating the data on long-term marital, childbearing, educational, and employment patterns. Originally published in 1988. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.